Shubman Gill stretchered out with neck injury during Eden Gardens Test against South Africa

India skipper Shubman Gill was stretchered out with his neck immobilised after retiring hurt in the Eden Gardens Test against South Africa. Morne Morkel called it “just bad timing,” while BCCI confirmed Gill is under medical observation for a neck spasm

Kolkata: India skipper Shubman Gill’s availability for the remainder of the opening Test is in serious doubt after he was stretchered into an ambulance with his neck immobilised on Saturday evening, hours after retiring hurt during India’s first innings on day two at the Eden Gardens.

Gill had initially walked off on four, clutching the back of his neck on Saturday after suffering what appeared to be whiplash while slog-sweeping Simon Harmer for four.

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The physio attended to him immediately, and the opener retired hurt on four after facing just three balls.

But the situation seemed more concerning later on Saturday as he was seen being taken away with his neck secured in a cervical collar, raising further concern about the severity of the injury.

South Africa assistant coach Morne Morkel blamed it on a bad night’s “sleep and not his workload.” “Yeah, I think we first need to determine how he got the neck stiffness, maybe just a bad night’s sleep. I don’t think we can put it down to the load,” Morkel said, when asked if Gill’s packed multi-format calendar was a factor.

Gill, who has been playing non-stop cricket across formats since leading India for the first time in the gruelling England Test series earlier this year, has barely had any downtime, joining the side right after the Australia white-ball series that ended in Gabba on Saturday.

On Sunday, he was back in Kolkata and the team had their first training on Tuesday.

Morkel, however, reiterated that India’s skipper is among the best-conditioned athletes going around.

Calling the timing unfortunate, the South African added: “Gill is a very fit guy, he looks after himself very well, so it’s just unfortunate this morning that he woke up with a stiff neck and that carried him into the day, which was crucial for us. Another sort of partnership with him batting around was going to be needed for us at the time and… just bad timing.”

The incident has left India with fingers crossed as the match heads for an early finish, with day three on Sunday likely to be the last.

The BCCI earlier issued a statement saying a call on his further participation in the first innings will be taken at a later stage. “Shubman Gill has a neck spasm and is being monitored by the BCCI medical team. A decision on his participation today will be taken as per his progress,” BCCI said in a release.

The incident occurred during an eventful 35th over after the drinks break, where Harmer had moments before removed a well-set Washington Sundar for 29 off 82 balls with a classical off-spinner’s dismissal — the ball drifting and turning away to take the outside edge for Aiden Markram at slip.